Encouraged by the fact that Abhinav Bindra trained at a private shooting range his father had established for him, Farid A. Husain built a rowing facility for his daughter Fazila Husain on his one-acre property in Kovathoor (off East Coast Road), 70 km from Chennai. Called ‘The Rowing Centre', the facility now goes beyond training 16-year-old Fazila, a junior national-level rower.
Due to distance, the teenager could not train at the facility as frequently as Farid would have liked. Instead of letting it stay unused for long periods, Farid threw open the gates to other rowers. The property, situated on the backwaters, has two rooms to accommodate guests. Apart from a range of boats, it also has a rowing ergometer. Farid built the facility with acclaimed coach James Joseph's expertise and runs it with the help of Rajendran, a rower from the military with an Asian medal to his credit.
While Farid takes in professional rowers who want to train in peace, he is yet to arrive at a clear business model. The fee is quite flexible, and for many activities, he charges only a little or none. A rower during his young days, Farid's desire is to create champions from the fishing community. He also believes in taking the sport to schools. A sign of this was the school-level regatta held sometime ago, which included 27 schools and 84 participants.
Whenever a huge contingent troops in, logistical problems crop up. At such times, Farid accommodates them in the facilities of friends nearby. As it is located near the East Coast Road, the facility can double as a getaway.
But Farid says it off-limits for anyone looking for a weekend retreat. “Rowing should be the primary reason why they want to come there,” says Farid.
Farid believes his facility can be a gift to the rowing community. “Rowing on the backwaters has many benefits, including the skills that come from negotiating choppy waters. It is great practice before tournaments.” This conviction is born of Fazila's performances since the facility was installed. Call him on 42110811.
